What is often a risk if ground equipment is not properly tagged?

When ground equipment is not properly tagged, the primary risk involved is accidental operation. Tagging serves a critical purpose in ensuring that anyone who interacts with the equipment is aware of its status, whether it is operational, under maintenance, or otherwise restricted from use. Without clear tagging, operators may mistakenly engage the equipment, leading to potentially hazardous situations, such as injuries to personnel or damage to the equipment itself.

Accidental operation can occur when workers are not informed about the condition or safety protocols associated with the equipment. Proper tagging acts as a visual and informational guide to prevent these types of accidents. Without it, the likelihood of miscommunication or misunderstanding increases significantly, putting safety at risk.

While other options might present relevant concerns, they do not directly capture the immediate dangers of untagged equipment as effectively as accidental operation does. For instance, increased fuel consumption and efficiency loss are more about operational performance rather than safety, and theft is considered a security issue that does not directly correlate with the presence of tagging.